This article was co-authored by Chris M. Matsko, MD. Dr. Matsko is a retired Physician in Pennsylvania. He received his M.D. from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007.

There are 17 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

There are many reasons to cover up bad breath (halitosis), but if you're tired of quick fixes and want to get rid of halitosis once and for all, take these instructions to heart... or should we say, mouth?

Steps

Method1

Adjusting Your Oral Hygiene

1

Brush your teeth regularly. Two major sources of mouth odor are bacteria and decaying food particles. There are hundreds of nooks and crannies in the fertile landscape of your mouth where these offending bits of "rot" can get lodged.

Squeeze a pea-sized amount of toothpaste onto a soft bristled toothbrush, and hold the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums. Brush your teeth on every surface in short, gentle strokes, being careful not to press too hard or irritate the gums. If done properly, brushing should take about three minutes.

Brush your teeth and rinse with mouth wash at least twice a day, and floss at least once a day.

Take care to brush all the areas of your mouth, including gums and tongue, and not just your teeth.[1]

2

Clean your tongue. It is not enough to simply brush your teeth. Since your tongue has a lot of surface area and is covered with textured bumps and grooves, it harbors more bacteria than the rest of your mouth combined. Removing the bacteria on your tongue can go a long way in reducing your bad breath.[2]

You can buy Orabrush or other tongue brushes from stores, or simply use your regular soft bristled toothbrush.

Brush your tongue from back to front, rinsing the brush between strokes.

Floss every day. Flossing your teeth is just as important to good oral health as brushing, and even more important for reducing bad breath. Make it as much of a mindless habit as brushing your teeth.

At first, your gums might bleed as you dislodge chunks of food that have "stuck" to your teeth and gum for who knows how long. But take a second to smell the floss after you pass it through your teeth, if you dare. You'll see (or smell) where the bad breath is coming from.

Choose a mouth wash containing chlorine dioxide. Many of the bacteria that cause halitosis live on the back of the tongue, too far back to remove with regular brushing or scraping. Luckily, vigorous swishing with a chlorine dioxide-containing wash can neutralize those bacteria.[3]

Try rinsing with mouth wash before brushing, flossing, and brushing or scraping the tongue, and again when you're done. This will ensure that you neutralize any bacteria that remain after the process is complete.[4]

Method2

Changing Your Habits

1

Consider chewing gum. Any gum will help with bad breath because the chewing action results in more saliva being produced. Some gums, however, have better bad-breath-fighting abilities than others:

Look for gum sweetened with xylitol (sugar only feeds the bacteria, causing more odor problems). Xylitol is a sugar substitute that actually works to prevent bacteria from replicating in the mouth.[6]

2

Keep your mouth moisturized. A dry mouth is a stinky mouth. That's why your breath is worse in the morning; your mouth produces less saliva as you sleep. Saliva is the enemy of bad breath because not only does it physically wash bacteria and food particles away, but it also has antiseptic and enzymes that kill bacteria.[7]

Chewing gum stimulates saliva production (in addition to covering up the odor with some kind of scent). Mints do not encourage saliva production.[5]

Drink water. Swish the water between your teeth from side to side. Water won't necessarily increase saliva production, but it'll wash out your mouth — and it is good for you. See How to Drink More Water Every Day.

Dry mouth can be caused by certain medications and medical conditions. Ask your doctor about switching medications, or addressing the underlying condition.

3

Stop smoking and chewing tobacco products. In case you needed yet another reason to stop this dangerous habit, tobacco is notorious for causing bad breath.[8]

In some cases, bad breath can be an early sign of oral cancer caused by smoking or chewing tobacco. It is vital that you stop smoking and see your doctor to be evaluated for this very serious condition.

Method3

Changing Your Diet

1

Eliminate odorous foods. Our bodies absorb the flavors and odors of the foods we eat, so particularly odorous cuisine can linger in your breath for hours after eating. Consider eliminating these foods from your diet, or at the least be sure to brush after eating.

Vegetables in the Allium family, like onion, garlic, leeks, and chives, have a notorious pungent aroma. Eating these foods and foods prepared with them like hummus or curry can leave your breath particularly aromatic. However, these foods also have many health benefits, so rather than eliminating them, try to limit them to times when you will be alone afterwards, like dinners at home.[9]

Recognize that even brushing won't be enough to really eliminate raw garlic smells and other pungent aromas. In fact, your body digests these foods, and the odor goes into the bloodstream and lungs and comes back out again as bad breath! If you eat a diet that is very high in these foods, reducing them (without completely eliminating them) may go a long way in improving your breath.[10]

2

Eliminate or reduce coffee and alcohol. The chemical compounds in these beverages alter the environment of your mouth, making it favorable for odor-causing bacteria to thrive.[11]

If you can't or don't want to quit drinking these beverages, be sure that after drinking them you rinse your mouth well with water or a mix of one part baking soda to eight parts water, and then brush your teeth well about 30 minutes later.[12]

Avoid brushing directly after drinking coffee or alcohol (or other acidic foods or drinks), as the acid in the drink can make your teeth vulnerable to abrasion from brushing.[13]

3

Eat some carbs. Did you know that if you're on a low-carb diet, you might have "ketone breath"?[14] Basically, as your body breaks down fats instead of carbs for energy, it creates ketones, some of which are released in your mouth. Unfortunately, ketones smell bad, and so will your breath. If you're on a strict carb-restricting diet, or any diet that forces you to burn fat instead of carbs, consider throwing healthy carb-rich snacks into the mix, like apples or bananas.

In addition, fruits with high vitamin C content will help you fight potentially harmful bacteria, which can be a cause of bad breath.

This will also happen to anyone who fasts, whether for religious reasons, or because they are anorexic. If you are anorexic, bad breath is only one of the reasons to stop starving yourself. Read How to Cope if You Want to Become Anorexic.

Method4

Knowing When to Seek Medical Advice

1

Talk to a doctor. If you've followed the above steps diligently and the bad breath persists, you may have a medical issue that needs to be treated.

Bad breath is a sign that something is not right in your body. If altering your hygiene practices and your diet do not improve your symptoms of bad breath, there is a good chance that there is some other imbalance, infection, or disease in your body that is causing it.

2

Look for tonsil stones. These are lumps of calcified food, mucus, and bacteria that collect in the tonsils, and can be seen as white spots. They are often mistaken for a throat infection such as strep throat, although sometimes they are too small to be visible in a mirror.[15]

Tonsil stones are often harmless but cause a reeking bad breath. If you see a small white patch on the tonsil, try swabbing it gently with a cotton swab (be careful not to gag yourself, and don't press too hard). If it comes off on the swab and is a liquid or pus, you likely have a tonsil infection; however, if it doesn't come off or if it comes out as a solid chunk of white matter, it is likely a stone. Smell it and you'll know for sure.

You might also notice a metallic taste in your mouth or an obstructed feeling when swallowing.

3

Consider whether you have diabetic ketoacidosis. If you have type 2 diabetes, it may be causing your body to burn fat instead of glucose, which releases ketones, a chemical that results in bad breath.

Bad breath can be caused by metformin, a type 2 diabetes medication. If you take metformin, talk to your doctor about alternate treatment options.[16]

4

Consider other potential culprits. There are a vast array of illnesses that can cause halitosis, including the following:

Trimethylaminuria. If your body can't break down a chemical called trimethylamine, it will be released in your saliva, causing bad breath. It'll also be released in your sweat, so persistent body odor might be an accompanying symptom.

Infection: Several types of infections such as sinusitis and infections of the stomach can result in bad breath. It is important to have any unusual symptoms checked out by your doctor, including this one.[17]

Kidney disease or failure: In particular, a metallic or ammonia taste and scent to the breath can indicate severe problems with the kidneys. See your doctor if you have this symptom.[18]

There is no medication specifically for bad breath. If your bad breath is caused by some sort of infection or disorder, you could get medication for that, and the bad breath should go away once the problem is cured. Otherwise, bad breath is mostly a matter of oral hygiene, and following a good oral health care routine should keep it at bay. You can also use gum, mints, or breath strips to help freshen your breath throughout the day.

You need to brush your teeth. Having not enough time to brush your teeth is not an excuse. It only takes two minutes to brush your teeth. Having a clean mouth will eliminate bad breath. Mouthwash helps too. Try a mix of coconut oil and cinnamon applied directly to teeth and gums for a great smelling, germ killing natural remedy.

If you mean is there something you can do once and never have to worry about it again, absolutely not. Maintaining fresh breath requires maintaining good oral hygiene, which requires daily effort. If you are brushing, flossing, and using mouthwash daily and can't seem to get rid of bad breath, you may want to get checked out by a doctor to see if there's something wrong.

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Tips

Munch on apples or carrots between meals to help remove food that is stuck in your teeth.

Replace your toothbrush every six weeks to ensure that no bacteria builds up on its surface.

Replace your toothbrush every three months.

Check your tonsils often. If you happen to see some white spots on them, see a dentist or a doctor.

Chew gum or suck on a mint after a meal if you don't have access to a toothbrush.

Make sure to clean your tongue as it will have lots of bacteria on it, just use your normal toothbrush. Done toothbrushes have special details on the back that you could use.

Try not to brush directly after eating foods high in acidity, as these can result in a breakdown in enamel.

If you go to school and you're not allowed to chew gum, try mints. They do the same job.

Warnings

Beware of gum with xylitol if you have pets — it can be toxic to dogs.

Deep pockets form around the base of the teeth that are not flossed regularly; these are full of decaying food particles and germs that cause bad breath — and can lead to abscessed teeth (painful, infected gums).

Avoid tooth loss by having teeth cleaned professionally every six months. This will prevent accumulation of calculus or tartar (a form of hardened dental plaque) and other minerals from your own saliva accumulating and hardening the plaque on the teeth. Those deposits chip away at the attachment between the gums and teeth, and over the years, cause more and more teeth to loosen as well as causing sickening abscesses.

To get rid of a bad breath, make sure you're brushing your teeth, cleaning your tongue, and flossing every day. You can also use a chlorine dioxide mouthwash after you brush your teeth, which will neutralize any bacteria that cause bad odors. Also, try to drink more water throughout the day since having a dry mouth can make your breath worse. If possible, limit how often you eat onions, garlic, leeks, and chives since these foods can cause bad breath that's hard to mask. To learn how to determine if you should see a doctor because of your bad breath, scroll down!

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FEATURED ARTICLE

This article was co-authored by Chris M. Matsko, MD. Dr. Matsko is a retired Physician in Pennsylvania. He received his M.D. from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007.